Solving Rye
by MaximumHetalia13
Summary: Katniss and Peeta's son is an unsolved mystery even after 14 years of his existence. Peeta has been trying to figure him out for years and has set himself a goal to figure out his son before he turns 15. The only remaining problem is that Peeta only has a month left to fulfill his goal.
1. Day 1

(Rye's POV)

I looked to my sister with the blankest stare I've ever managed to pull off. Her and our mom were sitting in the kitchen talking about something I've only heard rumors of in school. Dad walked into the living room, looking to me before calling out that he was home which signaled for mom and Willow to stop talking as they emerged from the kitchen and greeted him with open arms. Dad looked down to me with those blue eyes my sister shared with him and a heartwarming smile on his lips. "Hey, buddy, how was school?" I stared at him in confusion, tilting my head before shaking it slightly and shrugging as I retreated up the stairs and into the long hallway.

(Katniss' POV)

I feel like I was the only one who noticed Rye's composure and how it seemed a bit off. He never has been as much of a talker around his family, unlike Willow, but he usually said a few words about school. My gaze set upon the stairs he thumped up seconds ago before I caught Peeta's and Willow's eyes laid upon me. "Mom," she blinked and sniffed up some of her excess snot from her cold, "dad asked you how you've been." I smiled and looked to him for a second

"Fine, we were having a bit of girl talk," I replied before noticing Peeta was switching his gaze from us girls. He let out a slight chuckle as he shook his head slowly in his laughter.

"I won't ask then." Willow nodded and skipped back into the kitchen like a child, even though she was 16 now. I heard the sink turn on before Peeta spoke again. "Are you alright, Katniss?" I only nodded. He swiped the concerned look off his face before calling out, so Rye could heard, how he brought home a few cheese buns. It must have been record time for Rye to glide down the stairs in the quiet fashion he always had indoors. It was a nice quality for him, speaking he never shut up in class according to his teacher.

We filed into the kitchen and gathered around the table as Peeta laid out each individual cheese bun. Once two were on the table Rye grabbed them like a cobra, shoving one in his mouth. Willow jumped, bursting into laughter at her younger brother's stuffed cheeks which allowed me to take one as Peeta watched us all collect the delicious buns in amusement. I swear this was one of his favorite things to watch when he came home from the bakery.

"So Rye," Peeta started, using his signature technique of starting small talk, "When's the next wrestling match coming up?" Rye looked up at this, swallowing before he spoke for once.

"Dad, where has your head been?"

(Peeta's POV)

I blinked in shock at this question, thinking it was directed at something other than the fact of his follow up words. "Wrestling ended a few weeks ago." I shrugged and sighed, looking to Katniss for a second right before she looked to me briefly as she handed Willow two buns. She brought them in close as Rye reached for them and shrieked as he grabbed one from her only to hear his laughter brighten up the area a bit. It was nice and rare. It only usually occurs when Willow happens to be around, but I don't think Katniss knows that's why. Though now I think she's figuring it out. I set it as my task to figure him out before he turned 15, I only have 3 months to do that left.


	2. Day 2

**AN: Well, this one is longer than chapter one so that's good!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games characters, just the plot idea!**

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(Rye's POV)

I looked at him for a bit before going back and enjoying my second cheese bun as Willow hollered at me to return the one I stole. Mom glanced at me with her stern, grey irises which matched mine, demanding I return them. The thing is, mom never needs to talk for me to do something, she and I have some non-verbal messaging system I think. I sigh, handing it over before I receive an approving nod from both parents. Dad then gazed to Willow before looking at me with stone hard eyes and pushing me into another room.

(Willow's POV)

I cheered in glee as I was given my bun back from Rye, shoving half of it in my mouth before looking to mom, not immediately noticing the absence of dad and my brother. She smiled to me and whispered, "Don't tell your father I stole one of his cheese buns," before popping half of a third cheese bun in her mouth secretly. It was then when I turned to notice they were gone. Mom noticed my confusion and mumbled, "Boy talk, don't worry."

(Peeta's POV)

Rye glanced at me in confusion as I gave him a reassuring smile. He shrugged the question off as we stumbled into the study, sitting in two chairs across from each other. A puff of breath came out of his mouth as he quietly asked, "Why am I here now?"

"Rye, how come you're louder and more yourself when Willow isn't around?" He just blinked at me in amazement by the sudden question, looking down into his folded hands.

He quickly gave in. "Dad, not to sound like I hate her, but I'm just not too into her, you know?"

"Alright, I guess that's just a normal brother sister thing, I felt that way towards my brothers a lot," I responded, smiling and standing up. "You plan on spending time with your girlfriend today?" I teased him a lot about that, all he does is get upset, not like he's embarrassed, like he's pissed off.

"Dammit, dad, I hang out with her brother, not her, I don't like girls or guys or anybody, I can't see anybody as my romantic partner, alright?" He started out yelling and calmed down a bit, sighing as he mumbled an apology.

"Hey, calm down and watch your language. I just like teasing you, you're like your mother sometimes, you know that? She couldn't think of anybody as a romantic partner until she was 17. But watch out, people creep up on you," I smiled, watching him storm out of the study. I was only thinking of how I crept up on Katniss as well as Annie had with Finnick, just like he'd always said. How she crept up on him without him noticing she had until it was too late.

(Katniss' POV)

As soon as Willow and I were free of boys it seemed like a whole new world again. Of course, she was sick, so we couldn't go outside which meant hot cocoa by the fire. As I began brewing up two cups we heard Rye holler at Peeta, causing Willow to giggle uncontrollably as he stormed out into the living room. I poked my head out of the kitchen, looking to my fuming child, holding back a laugh. "Hey, you want cocoa?" He looked to me and nodded, knowing there was a laugh in my question. Rye trekked into the kitchen, sitting on a stool by the counter beside Willow, holding one arm out anxiously for something to drink.

(Peeta's POV)

I followed after him into the living room, watching him trudge into the kitchen as I came out of the study. Plopping myself onto the couch, Willow walked out slowly, sitting herself next to me. Glancing down, I smiled as Rye shuffled out with a cup of cocoa. Katniss followed him, squatting down to the fire pit, poking at the wood with her finger. The three of us watched as it dissolved into a powder over her hand as she turned back to us. "I'm going get more wood from out back," she stood up and walked into the kitchen and out the back door.

"I want to start the fire, please dad?" Willow looked at me with her hopeful blue eyes when Rye whipped out something.

"It's not your turn, it's mine."

I held back a laugh, "You take turns lighting the fire?" They both nodded to me and Rye stood up, darting to the fireplace to get the lighter which was followed by a yell from Willow. "Both of you need to calm down, let Katniss do it."

"Do what?" With wood in her arms, she stumbled into the living room and shoved Rye away from the fireplace, playfully, and started stacking the wood in place.

"Light the fire."

She glanced at me and stifled a laugh, looking between the kids. "Are you both honestly fighting over who gets to light the fire again?" Her hand extended toward Rye as he dropped the lighter into it, huffing and returning to his chair.

(Katniss' POV)

I pulled the trigger, igniting the flame to life and sticking it under the piled logs, stepping back to look at its glow. I smiled to myself, looking to seat myself beside Willow and Peeta before dropping into a chair. The couch-sitters, Peeta and Willow, looked at me in confused unison. "Spreading out the group," I shrugged, looking at the fire place. "Would you like some cocoa, Peeta?"

"Sure."

I rose from the chair, walking into the kitchen, Rye following behind me. Without glancing to look at him I asked, "Want more?" He usually grunted or shrugged or said something quietly, but instead he said nothing and put the cup on the counter. I laughed to myself and took it away from him. "I'll take that as a yes." He nodded, looking over his shoulder as Willow skipped in, setting her cup next to me. "You too, sweetie?"

"Yeah, of course!" She cheered, as usual, before skipping out, knowing I was going to bring it to her.

"Hey you," I started, Rye looking at the back of my head, "Why aren't you ever talkative around us, huh?" His silence remained put in his mouth until I turned around, watching him raise and lower his shoulders slowly. I nodded to him and handed him a mug of cocoa. "Go sit down and give that to your father," his head moved again as he waltzed into the living room with our shared cat-like step. I heard Peeta call out a thank you as I came in with Rye's cup, handing it to him as he took a sip, handing one to Willow as well. She soon shrieked out, Peeta snatching the cup before she dropped it.

(Peeta's POV)

Willow yelped and fumbled with the cup of steaming cocoa in her sleeve covered hands. I reached over out of reaction and snatched it just as it slipped from her grasp, wincing at the heat. Katniss looked at me in amazement, blinking once before she jumped up, forgetting about her own child for a second. Willow was fanning off her tongue; Rye was looking from person to person before taking a drink again. I set the cup down as Katniss rushed in with a damp rag, pressing it on our daughter's burning tongue. My gaze set itself on Rye and he returned it putting us into a world of our own, isolating us from the girls.

His eyes were glazed to that same stern stare Katniss had, looking just like his mother at the moment. Nothing was going on other than mother calming daughter like she should until the room went silent. Rye blinked, looking at Willow and Katniss, then back to me, extending his leg to nudge mine.

I shook my head, looking to where Katniss was only to notice she was on the phone with somebody now.

"Thanks, Johanna," was first. Then it was, "See you soon," before she hung up.


End file.
